Prevention Council

Providing Substance Abuse Education, Information and Referral Services

Overdose Awareness Vigil held in Saratoga Springs as Capital Region communities grapple with OD spike

Seen on: CBS 6 Albany

Monday, August 28th 2023

Overdose Awareness Vigil held in Saratoga Springs as Capital Region communities grapple with OD spike

by Briana Supardi

Overdose Awareness Vigil held in Saratoga Springs as Capital Region communities grapple with OD spike (WRGB)   View All Photos

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY (WRGB) — An overdose awareness vigil was held in Saratoga Springs Monday night to honor the lives lost from addiction and offer support to those still struggling.

The vigil comes amid a recent spike in overdoses in the Capital Region.

While the vigil was for National Overdose Awareness Day, which is Thursday, August 31st, organizers say the recent spike in OD’s doubles down on the message behind this vigil – that addiction is a disease and one that doesn’t discriminate.

“He was a wonderful child. We’re a very middle-class family, very close family, extended and he was into sports, loved animals,” said Ken Provost.

In 2014, Ken Provost and his wife Maureen lost their son to opioid addiction. He was just 23 years old.

“Dan’s issues started with an oxycodone prescription following wisdom teeth extraction. From there, it went into more drugs, more drinking, so from something very innocuous came a lifetime of changes,” said Maureen.

Since his death, the couple has made it their mission to advocate for more resources to help those struggling with addiction and to warn people that it can happen to anyone.

“Every family can be affected by it and that’s the biggest thing we’re trying to get out. Don’t think it can’t happen to your child because it absolutely can,” said Ken.

Held in Congress Park, candles were lit during the vigil to remember those, like Dan, who have lost their lives from addiction.

The vigil was hosted by a number of addiction and recovery agencies including Recovery Advocacy in Saratoga (RAIS) and Healing Springs Recovery Center.

“To remember those who have fought this battle so we can still send that message out to the community that this was somebody’s brother, sister, father, mother, somebody’s relative who struggled with a disease that if it was anything else, if it was cancer, they wouldn’t be stigmatized, but having that stigma associated with addiction and having a vigil such as this to say ‘you can come here, you are safe, nobody’s going to judge you, nobody’s going to mock you for your struggles, we’re going to help you and welcome you,” said Brendan Nortan, Chairperson with RAIS.

The vigil also celebrated those who are in recovery and provided support to those still struggling.

The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office and county health department were at the vigil providing Narcan training and offering Narcan kits to the community.

“Letting people see that we are on their side, we’re not looking to get people in trouble all the time,” said Captain Dan Morley with the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. “What we do is we try to follow up with overdose calls we get and put them in touch with organizations such as the ones here tonight,” he added.

On October 7th, the Provost will be hosting their 6th annual Dan Provost Memorial Walk at Gavin Park in Wilton to raise awareness on addiction and educate the community about recovery services.

Saratoga County’s Tuff E-Nuff 5k fundraiser looks to bring fun to Capital Region

Seen on: WNYT

Saturday, May 26th 2023

Saratoga County’s Tuff E-Nuff 5k fundraiser looks to bring fun to Capital Region

The Prevention Council’s executive director says the team works in coordination with BOCES and the students and instructors in the heavy equipment program to build the course.

Along with being a lot of fun, this event is a fundraiser for the Prevention Council, helping to support the organization’s missions and program.

The race is on June 3.

MORE: The TUFF eNUFF Challenge

‘Right Under Your Nose’ helps parents catch up to substance use trends

Seen on: WRBG Channel 6

Saturday, May 13th 2023

‘Right Under Your Nose’ helps parents catch up to substance use trends
by Chester Davis

Participants in a “Right Under Your Nose” event try to spot locations where teens might hide illicit substances. (WRGB)
“If you don’t know what’s right under your nose, you can’t help them.”

That’s where Patty Kilgore’s expertise comes into play. The director of school based services for The Prevention Council, Kilgore helps parents learn the new tricks teenagers are using to hide substances and the shocking access. Parents walked thru a staged teenage bedroom inside the Clifton Park Halfmoon Library for the Twin Bridges Rotary Club as part of the ‘Right Under Your Nose’ program. Participants were stunned by what they found and couldn’t find.

“They had said there was probably about like 50 or 60 things in there, I was able to spot about 6,” said Khooshbu Bassi, Twin Bridges Rotary President. “So, I would say quite horribly.”
While it may be impossible to know everything, it is possible to know the signs that your child may be using. It’s also important to have an open line of communication.

“The only way you can make a difference with your kids is to be able to talk to them about what your values are,” Kilgore said. “What your expectations are and what alcohol and other drugs can do to them.”

If you want to test your nose, The Prevention Council will share its next event on its Facebook page.

Greenfield offering ‘Right Under Your Nose’ and Narcan training class

Seen in: The Saratogian.com

Tuesdeay, July 7, 2023

Saratoga County unveils new tool for substance abuse surveillance

GREENFIELD, N.Y. — The town of Greenfield is hosting two free training classes on May 15 at 6 p.m. at the Community Center, located at 25 Wilton Road.

The first class, presented by the Prevention Council, is called “Right Under Your Nose,” and the second, presented by Greenfield Ambulance, is a Narcan training.

The “Right Under Your Nose” program provides a “nuts and bolts” demonstration of how a parent can recognize signs of current drug culture and trends. Participants will walk through a mock teen bedroom and try to identify signs of drug or alcohol use or drug culture.

Patty Kilgore, Director of School-Based Services at the Prevention Council of Saratoga County, explained in a news release that “a couple of minutes is about how long a parent may have in a teen’s room, such as when dropping off laundry or doing something similar. In this limited time, a parent might not notice what might be right under their nose.

“It is enough time, though, if a parent is educated on what they are looking for. The program exposes many trending hiding spots a teenager uses, shows parents how to recognize drug culture, particularly with clothing and other pop culture items, and most importantly, how to start an open dialogue with teens about this issue.”

Following “Right Under Your Nose,” Greenfield Ambulance will share a 15-minute training on how to recognize an opioid overdose and how to use a Narcan rescue kit. Free Narcan rescue kits will be distributed. The kits contain the nasal spray Naloxone, which can be administered to reverse the effects of an opioid.

“Teenage minds are very much still in development of their critical thinking skills,” Kilgore said in the release. “When they are exposed to drugs or alcohol at a young age, the addiction rates skyrocket. Parents need to be realistic that even if their child is not experimenting, they have friends and acquaintances who are.

“This program gives parents the information they need to open the lines of communication with their teens about these important issues.”

The programs will be offered first come first served to a maximum of 75 people (adults only). You can register in advance by calling 518-893-7432 ext. 307. The programs are open to all, including non-residents of Greenfield

Saratoga County unveils new tool for substance abuse surveillance

Seen in: MSN.com

Tuesdeay, July 7, 2023

Saratoga County unveils new tool for substance abuse surveillance

Story by Melissa Schuman, The Saratogian, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. • Yesterday 9:47 PM

Feb. 7—BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. — At a press conference at the Saratoga County Public Safety Building, county officials unveiled a new data collection tool that will allow near real-time monitoring of opioid addiction and overdose in the ongoing fight against substance abuse.

The tool, a Substance Use Surveillance Dashboard, takes data input from county services and organizations such as police, EMS, and medical facilities. The data is analyzed using an automated system that looks for markers indicating an uptick in opioid use, “hot spots” of opioid overdoses, and trends from preventative programs. The results, presented in near real-time, allow county services to anticipate potential overdose cases, track illicit drug dealers, and identify areas in need of preventative services.

The technology has the potential to save lives by preventing overdose deaths through faster availability of services and resources.

“Here in Saratoga Count we’ve made fighting the scourge of opioids a top priority,” said Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman Theodore T. Kusnierz, Jr. at Tuesday morning’s press conference.

“This is a topic that none of us want to stand here and talk about, but it’s becoming more and more important that we be proactive about it,” commented Clifton Park Town Supervisor Phil Barrett, who is also Chair of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Health and Human Services Committee. “We’ve asked families in this county struggling with the ravages of addiction how can we support them.

“The ideas we received from them are what we’re putting into action.”

In addition to the Surveillance Dashboard, resources are being made available to those affected by addiction such as support groups and people Barrett described as navigators, whose job it is to guide people on their journey to healing. The Dashboard can help determine where those resources are needed most at any given time.

Dr. Daniel Kuhles, Saratoga County Department of Health Commissioner, described the Dashboard’s goal as providing “comprehensive, precise, time-sensitive data.” Data accuracy is established with a baseline of information that was entered by hand from county records over the last several years.

Kuhles explained that when Dashboard data indicates a spike or uptick in opioid activity, there are a number of things that can happen in response. The county can hold free distribution popup events to distribute Narcan (naloxone), a medication used to mitigate the effects opioids. EMS stations can change their staffing patterns to make sure there is extra coverage in case an overdose is reported.

Police departments can adjust their patrols to keep an eye on areas with higher opioid activity, watching out for illicit drug traffickers and making sure an officer who is trained in Narcan use is on shift. All of those responses can happen immediately, providing faster and potentially lifesaving support thanks to the near real-time speed of the data output.

“It’s truly going to save lives,” said Capt. Dan Morley of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. “It’s going to make our job easier.”

Trends and patterns indicated by the Dashboard can also help with proactive prevention. It can show school districts in affected areas that will benefit from additional resources and support from The Prevention Council. Executive Director Janine Stuchin described how schools are an important place to raise awareness and extend support, including teaching students the importance of The Good Samaritan Law, which states that anyone who tries to assist in good faith in the event of a medical emergency is protected against legal retaliation.

“The Dashboard will help identify resource and treatment gaps, and communities where we can target education,” Saratoga County Mental Health & Addiction Services Commissioner Dr. Michael Prezioso commented.

“This is one way to be proactive and provide more resources to the people on the front lines,” Barrett said. “When we identify issues, we can immediately respond to them because we’ve got real-time data. In working together, we can make a difference for Saratoga County families.”

To view the Substance Use Surveillance Dashboard at work, visit Savealifeto.day. For more information, visit the Saratoga County website at www.saratogacountyny.gov and click on the Department of Health webpage.

Saratoga County Mental Health & Addiction Services Commissioner Dr. Michael Prezioso describes the use of the surveillance tool. (Melissa Schuman — MediaNews Group)Saratoga County Mental Health & Addiction Services Commissioner Dr. Michael Prezioso describes the use of the surveillance tool. (Melissa Schuman — MediaNews Group)Clifton Park town supervisor and Chair of the Saratoga County Health and Human Services Committee Phil Barrett speaks about services available to people affected by overdose. (Melissa Schuman — MediaNews Group)Clifton Park town supervisor and Chair of the Saratoga County Health and Human Services Committee Phil Barrett speaks about services available to people affected by overdose. (Melissa Schuman — MediaNews Group)Saratoga County Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Dan Kuhles speaks about the importance of the data collected with the surveillance tool. (Melissa Schuman — MediaNews Group)Saratoga County Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Dan Kuhles speaks about the importance of the data collected with the surveillance tool. (Melissa Schuman — MediaNews Group)

(c)2023 The Saratogian, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Local Organizations Partner to Help End Homelessness in Saratoga County

Seen in:The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce

Monday, July 25, 2022

Local Organizations Partner to Help End Homelessness in Saratoga County

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – City of Saratoga Springs Mayor Ron Kim today joined with area business and nonprofit leaders associated with the Saratoga County Alliance to End Homelessness to kick off an effort to distribute Saratoga Cares cards to local downtown businesses.

The Saratoga Cares cards are part of an ongoing effort to end homelessness in Saratoga County. The cards help to inform people as to the best way they can help those in need of food, clothing, housing, and other services in our community by connecting them with the agencies listed on the card. Individuals are encouraged to join the Saratoga Cares movement by distributing the cards to those who ask for assistance.

The cards will be distributed to local businesses by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, Discover Saratoga, the Downtown Business Association, the City Center, AIM Services, and the Mayor’s office.

“We’re proud to partner with the Saratoga County Alliance to End Homelessness and the Mayor’s office on this impactful project,” said Todd Shimkus, president, Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. “We believe the best way to help end homelessness in our community is by connecting individuals with the organizations listed on the Saratoga Cares cards that can provide them with the services and items they need.”

The team kicked off distribution Monday morning downtown at City Hall with Saratoga Springs Mayor Ron Kim.

“I’d like to thank the Saratoga County Alliance to End Homelessness on its continuous efforts to end homelessness in Saratoga County,” said Mayor Kim. “The Saratoga Cares cards will be a valuable resource to provide individuals with the tools and services they need. This is a great example of organizations across the public, private, and impact sector coming together to support a common goal. A big thank you to the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce and AIM Services for their efforts to support this project by designing and printing the cards.”

The Saratoga County Alliance to End Homelessness is an inclusive collaborative effort committed to ending homelessness in Saratoga County by increasing the level and coordination of housing and support services so that the cycle of homelessness is not perpetuated. The Alliance is currently made up of the following participating agencies: AIM Services; CAPTAIN Community Human Services; CARES of NY, Inc.; Catholic Charities; C.R.E.A.T.E. Community Studios; LifeWorks Community Action; Mechanicville Area Community Service Center; Mercy House of Saratoga; The Prevention Council; RISE Housing and Support Services; The Salvation Army Saratoga; Saratoga Community Health Center; The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce; Saratoga County Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services; Saratoga Springs Office of Planning & Economic Development; Shelters of Saratoga; Southern Adirondack Independent Living; Veterans & Community Housing Coalition, Inc.; and Wellspring.

Lindsey Connors, Associate Executive Director of RISE and Outreach Committee Chair for the Alliance explains, “For some, being approached on the street for assistance can be a difficult situation to navigate. The Saratoga Cares cards make it easy for City residents and visitors to provide those in need with the locations and times they can access various, essential resources from our local service agencies. We are here to help and look forward to the increased awareness the Saratoga Cares cards will bring to our continuum of services.”

“We encourage all downtown Saratoga Springs businesses to consider keeping Saratoga Cares cards on hand for patrons and employees to share with those who might be in need of assistance,” said Shimkus. “We can each do our part to help end homelessness in Saratoga County.”

About the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce: Since 1918, the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce has been opening doors and closing deals for businesses throughout the Saratoga County community. Guided by a strong and sustainable vision, the Chamber leads the way in maintaining and strengthening a healthy business climate, initiating constructive community action, and creating a community where all can thrive.

About the Saratoga County Alliance to End Homelessness: The Saratoga County Alliance to End Homelessness (a subset of the Saratoga-North Country Continuum of Care) is an inclusive collaborative effort committed to ending homelessness in Saratoga County by increasing the level and coordination of housing and support services so that the cycle of homelessness is not perpetuated. The Alliance encourages participation by state, county and local government, community leaders, non-profit organizations, housing developers, service providers, and persons with a lived experience of homelessness. www.endhomelessnesssaratoga.org

 

Ballston Spa police, Saratoga County sheriff officials call for action against drug overdoses

Seen in:The Daily Gazette

Thursday, December 16, 2021

Ballston Spa police, Saratoga County sheriff officials call for action against drug overdoses

BALLSTON SPA – An uptick in narcotics overdoses in the area has prompted local law enforcement to take action by teaming with an addiction recovery center to train individuals on how to properly administer naloxone, the medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose.

Lillian McCarthy, director of the Healing Springs Recovery Community and Outreach Center, will lead a seminar planned for 7 p.m. Feb. 9 in the Christ Episcopal Church, 15 W. High Street, Ballston Spa. Ballston Spa Police Chief David Bush and Captain Daniel Morley of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department invited McCarthy to present.

“It’s a huge, huge service, to be able to come out and just take a free Narcan training. Because the reality is you might not know anybody that’s using an opiate. But I’d rather see people have the Narcan and never use it, then need it and not have it, McCarthy said. “I just want to make sure that anybody and everybody that’s affiliated with Ballston Spa or the surrounding areas, or anyone that is interested in learning a little bit more about addiction, and what is happening to please come out to educate yourself.”

Grant funding allows for the free naloxone and training.

“From what I understand, the number of overdoses has increased in Ballston Spa and in the surrounding areas,” said McCarthy, whose center is flooded with requests to help about 1,000 people a month, both in person and over the phone. Local data on the spike in overdoses was not immediately available.

“So this is just a way that they are trying to be a little bit more proactive, to be able to assist the community and share some information with them and find out from the community what else we might be able to do to assist as well,” she said.

“You’ve got to be alive if we’re going to help you get into recovery,” McCarthy said.

The center director attributed the local spike in overdoses to the availability of fentanyl and cocaine. Some addicts’ bodies cannot handle the combination, and they overdose, she said.

The nationwide and statewide problem is not unique to the Ballston Spa area, she said.

According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, the opioid epidemic is a public health emergency, with an average of 136 deaths per day and climbing.

Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, chairman of the American Medical Association’s Board of Trustees wrote an article last week that – in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic – the country cannot ignore that illicit fentanyl is fueling the nation’s drug overdose epidemic and is primarily responsible for the deaths of more than 100,000 people last year alone.

Mukkamala, who also chairs the AMA’s Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force, cited the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration seizing nearly 10 million fake pills last year, many laced with counterfeit fentanyl.

The doctor called for action with evidence-based public health interventions to limit the risks and harms of overdose.

Local statistics on the spike in overdoses were not immediately available. Bush did not return a phone message seeking comment Tuesday, while Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo said he was out of the office at a conference.

 

Woman in recovery makes it her mission to give back | WRGB

Seen on:WRBG Channel 6

Thursday, December 16, 2021

Woman in recovery makes it her mission to give back

CAPITAL REGION, NY (WRGB) — “Right now, I’m currently in the Saratoga County Correctional Facility.”

Heather Crola’s visit to the jail today was for work, but that hasn’t always been the case.

“I’ve been in jail. I’ve been homeless. I’ve been in treatment. I’ve been at the very bottom. I’ve been all of those things, so because of those things is the only reason that I feel like I have anything to speak on.”

Now 11 years into her recovery, the Galway native is working with a familiar face – Ben Deeb, who specializes in peer services for the incarcerated. She remembers meeting him while volunteering at a halfway house.

“I would see the peers come back to the halfway house after their time spent with Ben and Martina, his wife Martina and some of the other staff there and they would just be, it was the only time I would see them with smiles on their face.”

In addition to working with Ben, she’s also the street outreach specialist, for Healing Springs Recovery Center in Saratoga – connecting the homeless with services.

“What people don’t realize is that by the time somebody is on the street the mental health and the addiction pieces are so severe. These individuals have been neglected by a system that is set up for failure for so long that if they could get a job and just get themselves housed they would.”

It’s no easy task, but one made slightly easier, because Heather is living proof of success.

“One really powerful piece for me has been in being able to work at a professional level with some of the people who were my treatment providers so there’s this really powerful, like ‘hey look I listened to you!’”

Recovery resource fair aims to break down stigma of substance abuse

Seen in: The Post Star

Saturday, June 19, 2021

Recovery resource fair aims to break down stigma of substance abuse

SOUTH GLENS FALLS — Brendan Norton was three years into his recovery before he told those closest to him he was having substance-use issues.

When he finally came clean, Norton said he was overcome with a sense of relief and received an outpouring of love and support from everyone around him. It’s a response that set him down a new path in life, he said.

“It was kind of nerve-wracking at first because I have never done anything like that before, but the more I talked about it and the more I shared — I say now that I recover loudly so people don’t die silently,” he said.

Norton, now a family counselor for Healing Springs — a Saratoga Springs-based recovery network that provides support services to those in recovery and their families throughout Saratoga County — was one of around two dozen people representing 18 organizations during a recovery resource fair hosted at the Moreau Community Center on Saturday.

The fair comes amid a surge in overdose deaths nationwide over the past year.

More than 81,000 overdose deaths were reported in the U.S. in the year preceding May 2020, the most in a 12-month period, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Overdoses are continuing to trend upward both locally and on the national level, according to Judy Moffitt, a recovery coach for families and co-chair of Friends of Recovery — Warren and Washington.

“We have lost a lot of friends,” she said.

Moffitt, who lost a son to an overdose, said there’s still a stigma attached to what she referred to as substance-use disorder (words like “addiction” and “addict” add to the stigma, she said). The stigma can only be overcome by education that starts on the grassroots level.

“We know education is so needed. This isn’t people go to treatment and then they’re done. This is a lifelong struggle that many people have,” she said.

But the pandemic has pushed recovery resources to the brink, said Katherine Chambers, director of restorative practices at Hope & Healing, a Hudson Falls-based recovery network that services Warren and Washington counties.

The recovery community, she said, often relies on those in recovery who have firsthand experience in battling substance issues and navigating the recovery process.

But with a growing number of stressors triggered by the pandemic, Chambers said many in the community are struggling to maintain their own recovery, which has made it difficult for others seeking to begin their own journey in finding help.

“These are individuals that are trying to maintain their own recovery in a really strong healthy way and being sort of bombarded in this vicarious way with this trauma of other experiences,” Chambers said.

“Then you compile that with COVID and isolation and mental health stressors … and you have sort of a snowball effect.”

Chambers added resources are still available locally, and she urged anyone dealing with substance-use disorder to reach out.

Lillian McCarthy, director of Healing Springs, agreed, adding it’s important for people to be open about their struggles.

Not only will the honesty be beneficial to a person’s own health, but it will help eliminate the stigma associated with substance-use disorder, which keeps so many from seeking help, she said.

“The way we’re going to break down that stigma is by being open and honest. Sharing experiences and not being afraid to,” McCarthy said. “The more we’re afraid and the more we keep it to ourselves, the more it is an issue.”